Find Best Schools for Master’s in Music in the UK

A Master’s in Music in the UK provides students with a high-level postgraduate education in one of several pathways available to music scholars. Students may choose to specialise in areas such as performance, music theory or composition. Music programs are offered at many top schools throughout the UK. Generally, Master’s programs in Music strive to balance history and tradition with contemporary and experimental directions.

What Is a Master’s in Music?

A Master’s in Music is an advanced course of study that usually takes form one to two years to complete in the UK. Many programs offer a great degree of flexibility through part-time options that enable students to continue working.

Most Master’s programs offer several tracks for students to specialise in, depending on their proficiencies and interests. Some also require all students to take a few core courses, which usually consist of a comprehensive overview of the discipline with emphasis on important issues and debates. Other coursework may consist of a balance of electives and requires training. The most common postgraduate Music disciplines consist of:

Performance

Musicology / Music Theory

Composition

Studio Production

Depending on what your chosen discipline is, you final project may consist of a heavily researched dissertation, a professional recital or a composition portfolio. Students who will be submitting a dissertation may be required to take a course in research techniques.

Musicology students can expect to take many research-intense courses, including music history, cultural study of music, current theory, music and technology and contemporary issues in music. Those who focus on performance, production or composition will take a mix of technique-honing seminars and practice courses. Many programs assign individual tutors or academic supervisors to assist students in formulating their academic path and reaching their goals.

What Are the Benefits of Getting a Master’s in Music in the UK?

Many excellent schools in the UK offer Master’s in Music programs with a high level of instruction by recognized experts. Continuing your musical education by pursuing this advanced course of study allows you to raise your performance technique to a higher level. Performing, composing and production students gain exposure to high-level techniques in their respective crafts, while acquiring a grounding in the underlying history and theory. Musicology students benefit from a research-intense environment and access to important materials. They also have the opportunity of interacting with top theoretical thinkers and engaging in critical dialogue with history and contemporary issues in music.

In addition to formal instruction, many UK programs offer several types of education-enhancing activities. These may include guest speakers, conferences and opportunities for students to present research, performances or compositions.

Earning a Master’s in Music from a UK school is a great way for both UK and international students to hone their skills and interact with leading musicians, composers and theoreticians. It also allows students to focus on specific areas in musical knowledge such as ethnomusicology or the use of music in film.

What Kind of Career Can You Expect With a Master’s in Music?

A Master’s in Music is an important enhancement to any musical career. Employers understand that an advanced degree in music means not just high-level skills but also the ability to communicate, organise, think independently and complete substantial, complex projects. Careers for Master’s in Music degree holders may include many different types of employment. Those seeking a traditional performance career may choose one of the following professions:

Orchestra musician

Conductor

Soloist

Vocal performer

Composer

Choral director

Film scorer

Other graduates may be interested in production or technology oriented careers, which may include:

Audio producer

Digital aggregator

Audio engineer

Synthesis specialist

Instrument designer

Music editing engineer

Instrument builder and repairer

Recording producer

Sound designer

Graduates who have specialised in theory, or who simply wish to pursue a less performance-focused career may pursue employment in music-related fields, including:

Band promoter

Talent scout

Radio programming director

Orchestra personnel manager

Music publisher

Music curator

Music critic

A Master’s in Music can also be valuable for someone who wishes to obtain an instructor position, especially at an advanced college level. Some graduates who pursued the music theory track may wish to continue their studies and obtain a PhD in music theory.

TOEFL

GPA

Ran out of results?

Cheltenham, United Kingdom

106SchoolApply Rank

USD 19,113Average Tuition

0Acceptance Rate

University of Gloucestershire (Gloucestershire) has multiple campuses across Gloucestershire and Cheltenham, United Kingdom. Students at Gloucestershire are offered a wide range of master’s degree programs through its 8 academic schools, including: School of Art and Design; School of Liberal and Performing Arts; School of Natural and Social Sciences; and the School of Media....

Chester, United Kingdom

119SchoolApply Rank

USD 15,983Average Tuition

65%Acceptance Rate

The University of Chester is one of the oldest universities in the UK. Founded in 1839, it is a public university situated in Chester, England. The University has dedicated faculties, through which it delivers master’s degree programs to local and international students.
...

Bath, United Kingdom

125SchoolApply Rank

USD 18,514Average Tuition

89%Acceptance Rate

Bath Spa University (Bath Spa) has campuses located in Newton Park and Sion Hill, Bath, United Kingdom. Bath Spa also has a campus located in the market town of Corsham. Bath Spa offers over a 100 master’s degree programs across its 4 academic schools, namely: Bath Business School; Bath School of Art and Design; College of Liberal Arts; and the Institute for Education....

York, United Kingdom

154SchoolApply Rank

USD 16,649Average Tuition

0Acceptance Rate

York St John University (York St John) is a public university located along Lord Mayor's Walk in York, England, UK. York St John offers a wide range of master's degree programs across its nine academic schools including: Art, Design and Computer Science; Education; Health Sciences; Humanities, Religion and Philosophy; and Sport....

London, United Kingdom

240SchoolApply Rank

USD 21,311Average Tuition

9.3%Acceptance Rate

Goldsmiths, University of London (Goldsmiths) is a public university located in New Cross, South East London, UK. Goldsmiths offers a wide range of master's degree programs across its academic faculties including: Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship (ICCE); Confucius Institute for Dance and Performance; Media, Communications and Cultural Studies (MCCS); Institute of Management Studies (IMS); and Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies (STaCS)....

London, United Kingdom

244SchoolApply Rank

USD 26,638Average Tuition

0Acceptance Rate

City, University of London (City) is one of 18 reputed, independent member institutions of the University of London, and has a strong focus on research, business and the professions. City offers a wide range of master’s programs through its four campuses — three including Northampton Square, Bunhill Row and Grays Inn in London, UK, and one at Dubai International Financial Center in Dubai, UAE....

Bangor, United Kingdom

306SchoolApply Rank

USD 19,845Average Tuition

0Acceptance Rate

Bangor University (Bangor) is located in Bangor, in coastal Wales, United Kingdom. Bangor offers over a 100 master’s degree courses through its 3 academic colleges, namely: the College of Arts, Humanities and Business; the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering; and the College of Human Sciences....

Hull, United Kingdom

365SchoolApply Rank

USD 19,646Average Tuition

0Acceptance Rate

The University of Hull (Hull) has a single-site campus located in Hull, United Kingdom. A wide range of master’s degree programs are offered at Hull through its 4 academic faculties, namely: Faculty of Health Sciences; Faculty of Business, Law and Politics; Faculty of Arts, Culture and Education; and the Faculty of Science and Engineering....

Hamilton, United Kingdom

383SchoolApply Rank

USD 15,783Average Tuition

23%Acceptance Rate

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) has 4 campuses across West Scotland, and a campus in London, United Kingdom. UWS offers over 60 master’s degree programs through its 5 academic schools, namely: School of Health and Life Sciences; School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences; School of Business and Enterprise; School of Media, Culture and Society; and the School of Education....

Portsmouth, United Kingdom

409SchoolApply Rank

USD 19,845Average Tuition

37%Acceptance Rate

The University of Portsmouth (UOP) is located in Hampshire, United Kingdom. UOP offers over 100 master’s degree programs through its 5 academic faculties, namely: Faculty of Business and Law; Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; Faculty of Technology; and the Faculty of Science....

The Application Journey

The Application Journey

01

Create Account

To build your SchoolApply profile, you will need to answer a few questions about yourself, your academic goals
and your finances. We won't share this information with anyone else. Creating a SchoolApply account is the first
step in your journey to studying at a university abroad.

02

Upload documents

The documents you upload will help us determine if we can support you in your goal of studying at a university
abroad. You will need to pay a SchoolApply admin fee in order to move on to step 3.

03

Meet your advisor

Your very own advisor will guide you through the Application Journey. At step 3, you will call your advisor so
you can express what is important to you and they can tell you about your options. After the call, your advisor
will send you a list of universities you can apply to.

04

Start application

With SchoolApply, you only need to create one application; your advisor will submit it to the universities for
you. For your application, you will need to include your academic history, English and entrance exam results,
an essay and reference letters. You will also pay an application fee to each university through SchoolApply.

05

Submit application

Your advisor will review the things you uploaded in step 4 and will submit your completed application to the universities
you selected. You will receive a notification when a university's response comes in.

06

Accept an offer

This might be one of the most exciting parts of the Application Journey! To accept an offer, you will need to pay
a deposit (you can do this through SchoolApply) to confirm your acceptance. Remember: you can only accept one
offer!

07

Visa interview

You will need to go to the embassy of the country where you will be studying to get your student visa. Let your
advisor know when the visa interview is scheduled. At this step, we will also offer to help with booking your
flight and arranging housing, insurance and student loans.

08

Study abroad

The final step in your Application Journey is letting us know that you're on your way to university. This step
is the easiest because we don't need any information. At this stage, we can close your SchoolApply account.

Choose your account

SchoolApply lets you choose exactly how much support you will receive as you apply to universities abroad.
When you set up your SchoolApply account, you can continue using the free version or you can make an upgrade to take full advantage of our expert counseling services.

Add Extra Benefits to Your Account

$200

$120

$100

Essay review for Silver Students

$300

Visa application and interview support for Silver Students

Thank you! Your request sent successfully.

Want more?

The Founders account gives you access to all the personal services of the Platinum account, but goes even further. First, our founders will make it their personal mission to get you the best possible acceptance at a top university. Secondly, you will be counselled by top university graduates and senior executives from notable FT500 companies.

This account is by invitation only Price $3,000

Search Schools

Payment

Please make sure that your card is enabled for online payments before you proceed.

We use cookie policy to help us optimize your experience, by continuing you accept this. Read our cookie policy